Slides used by Roger Stalley during his paper (The Augustinians and their architecture) at Dublin City Council's medieval symposium on The Abbey of St Thomas the Martyr, 14 October, 2017. Listen to the podcast of the paper at http://historyhub.ie/thomasabbey

1. The abbey of St Thomas
What do we know about its design ?
Roger Stalley
Trinity College Dublin

4. St Thomas’ Abbey
1177 Foundation: how soon was a church erected ?
1192 How much of the church was complete ?
The change in status – any effect on the design ?
1227 Abbot Adam embarks on a new stone church
1251 Stone being shipped from Bristol for the church

5. 1250/1 January: ‘Mandate to the mayor and
Bailiffs of Bristol to deliver to the Abbot and
canons of St Thomas, Dublin, the stone which
the latter had caused to be collected at Bristol
to construct their church at Dublin, and which
the bailiffs had caused to be arrested to repair
the King’s cast of Bristol. If any of the stone has
been employed on the King’s works in the
latter city it shall be restored to the Abbot and
canons; and as often as they make a collection
of stone there there they shall be permitted to
convey it whither they will’.
Stone from the Quarry at Dundry
January 1250/1
‘Mandate to the mayor and bailiffs of Bristol to deliver to the
Abbot and canons of St Thomas, Dublin, the stone which the
latter had caused to be collected at Bristol to construct their
church at Dublin, and which the bailiffs had caused to be
arrested to repair the King’s castle of Bristol. If any of the stone
has been employed on the King’s works in the latter city it shall
be restored to the Abbot and canons; and as often as they make
a collection of stone there they shall be permitted to convey it
whither they will’.

6. Dundry stone (yellow oolitic limestone)

7. Site of the quarry at Dundry (Somerset)

8. T
‘that Dublin Castle 1243
‘that out of the King’s profits they cause to
be constructed in the castle of Dublin, a hall
120 feet in length and 80 feet in breadth,
with glazed windows after the hall of
Canterbury; and that they cause to be made
in the gable beyond the dais a round window
30 feet in diameter. They shall also cause to
be painted beyond the dais the King and
Queen seated with their baronage: and a
great portal shall be made at the entrance to
the hall…’
Winchester, royal Hall

10. Abbey and
St Catherine’s church

11. The Inner Court
The great Court of
Thomascourt, where
anciently the Abbey
was built

12. Site of the cloister ?
Site of the medieval
church ?
Monastic refectory ??

16. Claire Walsh
Excavations 1996

17. Cloister walk ? (approx 3.0m wide)
Cloister garth ?
cobbled
Outer wall of church –
2.75 m thick
How far did the
church extend ?
Church interior
but why cobbled?
The Church
* Did it have aisles?
* Was there a transept?
Tiled floors -
sanctuary / altars ?
Function of wall ??
Claire Walsh

18. Kells Priory,
cloister arcade

19. Mellifont

22. Bristol, St Mary Redcliffe
Inner porch c.1200

26. Bristol, St Augustine’s abbey
Chapter house

29. Bristol St
Augustine’s
Elder Lady Chapel
c.1220

30. Athassel Priory

37. Newtown Trim
choir, north wall

38. Newtown Trim
choir, north wall

40. Dublin St Patricks c.1831

41. Lincoln main transepts c.1210

43. Newtown Trim
Chapter House
Christ Church Dublin
Chapter House – c. 1240?